All flooring is subject to wear and tear over time. Flooring materials may be treated by the manufacturer or treated after installation to prevent or delay wear. Improved vinyl flooring materials, sometimes called luxury vinyl flooring, have become increasingly popular in both residential and commercial settings. Previously relegated to residential use, the evolution of better protective coatings, or “wear layers,” have allowed penetration into markets such as acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, hospitality, office buildings, schools, universities, and retail settings.
In traditional vinyl composite tile (VCT) flooring, the vinyl is treated with a finish that wears out relatively quickly with use and needs to be restored. In contrast, in certain high-end luxury vinyl floor materials, an extremely hard and durable wear layer is used that resists wear and is virtually maintenance free or requires very little maintenance. This layer makes luxury vinyl floor materials virtually maintenance free in residential locations. However, when such flooring materials are used in high traffic areas, for example in commercial buildings, such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, health care facilities, hospitals, long term care facilities, etc., over time even the extremely hard wear layer can become worn and require maintenance. Because of the resistant quality of the wear layer due to highly cross-linked systems and other novel chemistries, typical restoration measures have been found ineffective. The wear layer is resistant to typical stripping materials and methods, and conventional floor finishes often fail to adhere to the floor.